File guide



Aug. 4, 1953 E. l.. LEE

FILE GUIDE Filed May 12, 1949 l, ATroRNEY INVENTOR. Les

Patented Aug. 4, 1953 FILE GUIDE' Eval-1. Lee, Hamilton, Ohio`vApnlicatiun, May 12, 1949,'Seria1fNu. 92,785:

arcntimav (C1. L29- 16m Th-is invention relates tovguides/forling'drawersused to separate groups of sheet material in thedrawer and `more particularly to a novel means for detachably securingsuch guides to the usual guide holding rod in'suchiling drawers.

The usual le drawer carries arodwhich runs through the drawer frontforey and aft of the drawer adjacent the drawerl bottom and upon whichthe conventional guides or indexing separators are threadedthrough` agrommeted aperture adjacent the lower :edge of. the guide. This guiderod is secured both at its front and rear endsvin the drawer sovthat inorder to remove a guide the rod must first be released and then drawnthrough the guide to bey removed.

Filing procedure often requires that, one or more guides be moved fromone location in a file drawer to another in that drawerl ormoved fromone drawer to another drawer: Heretoiore. this procedure` has requiredwithdrawing the `guide rod not only from thelguides to be`v moved butalso from thosewhich arelto remain/.in their original places and thenreethreading the rodthrough alll guides after the changes have beenmade. During. this; le drawer reerraneementit iealmeet impossible tohold the remaining guides in, their original positions and to reinsertvthe= shifted guides sovthat theirl rodlthreadling apertures arealignedior easy reinsertion of'thelrod, and much time is lost in huntingfor the aperture in each guide as the rod is,r einserted.

Itis an object of this invention, thereforefto provide aguideaor` a ledrawer ofthetype. having a; guide rod which may readily and` easily beremovedfrom the rod., or reinserted thereon without the necessity o-tiirst removingfthe rod-or removing, other guides from, the rod, butwhich Willbe securely held on the rod againstaccidental removal.

Another object of theinvention isto provide a guideof the abovecharacter providedwithan inverted L-shaped, or bayonet slotin which. theguide rod is. removably held, the arrangement and position of theslotfbeingvsuch-that removal of thev guide from therod is inhibitedsolong as the guide occupies itsnormal; flat positiontransever'selystraight'across thev drawer but permits easy yvvithdrawalfrornthe rod by bending or; twistingfthe-guide about a vertical aXissothatthe guide may be shifted transverselyv anabnormal amount.

`Another object of the. inventizml is toprovide a guide of the abovecharacterinwhich thefguide bodyfis formed of cardboard or. theilike, inasubstantially rigid., flexible. Sheet and the., weer; resistant tabrigidly secured to each sheet;

A further lobject of the; invention is-touprovide av leguide'of theabove character.- whichri's ecofnomical to manufacture in awidevvarietyvoffsizes and from a Wide variety of materials. y

With the above and other important. objects and advantages in` view,-which will becomemore apparent during the course of' theffollowingdescription, the invention consists in the .parts and combinationshereinafter set forth with the understanding that. variouschangesfmayybe made therein by those skilled inthe art, such asini-thesize, shape, andarrangement ofthe parts and by the substitution ofequivalents, and materials, without` departing from the'vspiritlof:thefinvention or exceeding the scope` of the,appendedclaims.4

In orderto make the inventionx more clearly understood, a; preferrediembodiment thereof-has been; made the subject ofillustration. inthe ac;-eompanyine dra-Wines inf which :v

Figure 1 is a View infront elevationof-a-le guide, according totheinvention, lshowing! its position in ale drawer, the drawer being shownsomewhat conventionally intransverse section;

Figure l2 is a horizontal cross sectional. view taken along` the line2-2 of Figurel 1 looking in the direction ofthearrows andshoWing-the'guide in its normal position;

Figure 3 is a view similar to'Figure 2 but show,- ingy the guide flexedabout a vertical axis. and shifted transversely. to` one side to aposition where it can be removed from the guiderod; and

Figure 4 v`is avertical crosslsectional viewtaken along the line 4wd,of. Figure 1 looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Referring more particularly to, the. drawings, my. file guide comprisesa rectangular sheet l whichpreferably and economically maybe cornposedof-,berboard, cardboard or'other suitable flexible .and resilient sheetmaterial whichv will retainits shapelunder normal usage, The upper edgeof; the sheet Lmay be formed withthe usual upwardly extendingindex tab2.v The sheet l may be madefin various sizes ancording to the particulariiling` equipment in which itristo be used, for example correspondencefiles, legalrles, and thelvarious sizesuof'cardindex illes'.

Secured'to the lower edge 3.of the sheetA I ,iniermediete its-vertical'edges bis a rodY engaging tabb; In itspreferredn form, thetabg is formedfrom a relatively thin Strip 0fl metal 6. suehjes Sheet Steel 0r brass,whichV` ecfolded. upon. itself intermediate its length, asfshowninFigure 4. The free ends T'ofthe strip straddle the,` lower edge of thesheet I and are riveted`v together through`v thesheet; as; indicatedat'l 8:.' While the above mentioned materialL and methodV` of nformingand attaching the tab are preferred, it is obvious that the tab could bemade from a single ply of metal, relatively stiff sheet plastic, orother suitable wear resisting material, and otherwise suitably attachedto the sheet. Alternately, the tab 5 could simply be formed directly onthe sheet I when it is cut.

Formed in the tab 5 is an inverted L-shaped or bayonet slot 9 having avertical portion I0 opening on the' bottom edge of the tab, and ahorizontall portion II extending laterally from the upper end of thevertical portion and communi'cating therewith. The extremity of thehorizontal portion of the slot 9I is closed and the lower edge of thehorizontal portion is formed with a slight downward extension ordepression which constitutes a rod receptor I2 and forms a slight ridgeI3 adjacent the juncture of the horizontal and vertical portions of theslot. It will be noted in Figure l that the minimum width of the slot Siis sufficient to freely receive a guide rod, indicated generally as I4,and that the rod receptor I2 lies substantially in the vertical centerline of the sheet I.

It will be seen also in Figure l that the width of the sheet I is suchas to provide a slight clearance between the vertical edges l of thesheet and the adjacent side walls I5 of a file drawer I6. The length ofthe horizontal portion of the slot on the other hand, from the center ofthe receptor I2 to the center of the vertical portion ill is greaterthan the combined spaces between .the vertical edges of the sheet I andthe side walls-of the drawer so that the rod I4, when in the horizontalportion of the slot, as will be described, cannot register with thevertical portion Iii in any transversely shifted position of lthe guideso long as the sheet I is in its normal flat condition and extendingtransversely straight across the drawer. On the other hand, it will beseen that if the sheet I is flexed or otherwise displaced about avertical axis so as to increase the clearance between a Vertical edge 4and the adjacent side wall of the drawer, the guide may be shiftedtransversely further and the open vertical poi-tion of the slot 53brought into registration with the rod e, and the tab 5 can be engaged'or disengaged freely from the rod.

In operation, when it is desired to insert a guide in a file drawer, thesheet I is grasped in its upper portion near opposite edges and flexedor bent slightly about a vertical axis as shown in Figure S (or it maysimply be held fiat at an angle to one of the side walls of the drawer)and the guide is lowered vertically in the drawer. When the tab 5strikes the rod Ill, the guide is shifted to the left (as seen in Figurel) until the rod enters the open vertical portion III of the slot 9.When the rod engages the upper edge of the horizontal portion of theslot, the guide is straightened out and shifted laterally to the rightto bring the rod through the horizontal portion lof the slot and intothe receptor I2. The natural resiliency of the sheet I maintains it in aflat condition and when it is in normal use in a le, it extends straightacross the drawer being :aligned by the filed material between theguides Aandthe drawer front and usual follower. In this position,therefore, it cannot shift transversely .enough to bring the verticalportion of the slot into registration with the rod I4 and the guidejwill be securely held on the rod against acci- .dental removal.

, When the rod is in the receptor I2, the in- ,creaseddepth of thereceptor affords a substan- 4 tial clearance between the upper and loweredges of the horizontal position of the slot and permits an ample frontand back angular movement of the guide on the rod for fanning the guidesand easy inspection or insertion and removal of the filed material.

When it is desired to remove a guide, the same procedure is followed.The guide is grasped and bent as above described and then shifted trans-Versely until the rod engages the edge of the vertical slot away fromthe closed end of the horizontal slot. The guide may now simply belifted off the rod and out of the drawer.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention provides a leguide which may readily and easily be inserted and removed fromengagement with a guide rod in a le drawer without the necessity ofremoving the rod from its fastening in the drawer and without disturbingother guides in the drawer. The guide and its means for holding in thedrawer are of economical but rugged construction and may be subjected tolong usage without substantial wear or damage. While only a preferredembodiment has been shown by way of illustration, it will be appreciatedthat it may be modified in size and shape and material to adapt it tothe particular ling equipment in which it is to be used. For example,the guide rod in most files is below the main bottom of the drawer andthe depending tab 5 is required on the guide to reach the rod. Incertain card files, however, the rod may be above the drawer bottom, inwhich case the inverted L-shaped slot 9 may be formed in the sheet Iitself and suitably reinforced to withstand wear.

I claim:

l. In a file drawer of the type described having side walls, a bottom, alongitudinal channel in the bottom, and a rod extending fore and aft inthe channel in the bottom of the drawer, the improvement comprising aflexible rectangular guide adapted to be positioned generally upright inthe drawer and extending transversely thereof between the side walls, atab of substantially rigid wear-resistant material secured to the loweredge of the guide and positioned to extend into the channel, said tabhaving therein a generally inverted Lshaped slot adapted to receive therod, the slot being positioned in the portion of the tab extendingbeneath the guide sheet, said slot having a downwardly opening verticalportion and a closed horizontal portion extending therefrom andcommunicating therewith, the rod being normally positioned in thehorizontal portion of said slot, the length of the horizontal portion ofthe slot being greater than the space between the Vertical edge of theguide sheet toward which the horizontal portion of the slot extends andthe side of the drawer, the width of the tab being less than the widthof the channel by at least the length of the horizontal portion of theslot to permit transverse movement of the guide in the drawer to alignthe vertical portion of the slot with the rod, and the position of saidVertical portion of the slot with respect to the vertical edges of theguide sheet and the position of the rod, and the width of the guidesheet with respect to the width of the drawer, being such that in allpositions of the guide in a flat condition normal to the side walls saidvertical portion of the slot will be out of registration with the rod.

channel in the bottom of the drawer, the improvement comprising aflexible rectangular guide adapted to be positioned generally upright inthe drawer and extending transversely thereof between the side walls, atab of substantially rigid wear-resistant material secured to the loweredge of the guide and positioned to extend into the channel, said tabhaving therein a generally inverted L-shaped slot adapted to receive therod, the slot being positioned in the portion of the tab extendingbeneath the guide sheet, said slot having a downwardly opening verticalportion and a closed horizontal portion extending therefrom andcommunicating therewith, the rod being normally positioned in thehorizontal portion of said slot, a horizontal edge of the horizontalportion of the slot being curved whereby the width of said horizontalportion of the slot is greatest substantially at its center, the lengthof the hori zontal portion of the slot being greater than the y spacebetween the vertical edge of the guide sheet toward which the horizontalportion of the slot extends and the side of the drawer, the width of thetab being less than the width of the channel by at least the length ofthe horizontal portion of the slot to permit transverse movement of theguide in the drawer to align the vertical portion of the slot with therod, and the position of said vertical portion of the slot with respectto the vertical edges of the guide sheet and the position of the rod,and the width of the guide sheet with respect to the width of thedrawer, being such that in all positions of the guide in a at conditionnormal to the side walls said vertical portion of the slot will be outof registration with the rod.

3. In a le drawer of the type described having side walls, a bottom, alongitudinal channel in the bottom, and a rod extending fore and aft inthe channel in the bottom of the drawer, the improvement comprising aexible rectangular guide adapted to be positioned generally upright inthe drawer and extending transversely thereof between the side walls, atab of substantially rigid wear-resistant material folded back uponitself and straddling the lower portion of the guide, means clamping thetab in folded position and securing the tab to the guide, said tab beingpositioned to extend into the channel, said tab having therein agenerally inverted L-shaped slot adapted to receive the rod, the slotbeing positioned in the portion of the tab extending beneath the guidesheet, said slot having a downwardly opening vertical portion and aclosed horizontal portion extending therefrom and communicatingtherewith, the rod being normally positioned in the horizontal portionof said slot, the length of the horizontal portion of the slot beinggreater than the space between the vertical edge of the guide sheettoward which the horizontal portion Iof the slot extends and the side ofthe drawer, the width of the tab being less than the width of thechannel by at least the length of the horizontal portion of the slot topermit transverse movement of the guide in the drawer to align thevertical portion of the slot with the rod, and the position of saidvertical portion of the slot with respect to the vertical edges of theguide sheet and the position of the rod, and the width of the guidesheet with respect to the width of the drawer, being such that in allpositions of the guide in a fiat condition normal to the side walls saidvertical portion of the slot will be out of registration with the rod.

EVA L. LEE.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date '700,391 Watt May 20 1902 1,489,346 Davis Apr. 8, 19242,110,610 Rickaby Mar. 8, 1938 2,422,935 Straubel et al June 24, 1947FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 796,261 France Jan, 22, 1936

